Governor Joe Manchin says he needs the federal government to give West Virginia more time to work on research and technology when it comes to energy issues.
Manchin was on hand Tuesday at Stonewall Resort in Lewis County for the state's third annual energy summit.
The governor says the nation needs West Virginia coal and the federal government shouldn't penalize the industry while many are working on ways to do things better.
"Let's do it more environmentally conscious. Let's do it with more technology," the governor told MetroNews during a phone interview. "But you can't talk about it, you can't penalize and you can't raise the price before you have a solution for it."
Tuesday's summit carried the title, “West Virginia’s Commitment to Energy Security.”
Governor Manchin says the state can get things done with just a little help from the federal government. "I just need Washington to be our partner and not our adversary. I don't Washington to be my provider. We can talk care of ourselves with a little bit of assistance and help," the governor said.
Manchin says he wants a work permit not a handout.
